This invention is in the field of optical training simulators, and is particularly concerned with simulators for training operators of infrared imaging devices such as night vision goggles (NVG). Of late, night vision systems applications in military aircraft have sharply increased. Flight crews in both rotary-and fixed-wing aircraft use NVG for navigation and target detection. While NVG are essential to night operations, flying with them is quite different from flying with the unaided eye. It is difficult to provide sufficient training using NVG in an aircraft; this is not only for reasons of cost, but also because some of the problems encountered are dependent on celestial and atmospheric conditions. Moreover, it is not always possible to schedule training flights when the desired combination of conditions exists. Further, sometimes it is desirable to demonstrate conditions that are extremely difficult and/or unsafe in actual flight. A pilot can experience these conditions without risk in a simulator. Earlier NVG simulations used photographic imagery, in the form of either motion pictures or slides, projected through filters to simulate field imagery. This was a satisfactory approach for the time, and has been used up to the present. Difficulties arise, however, because this imagery is difficult to record, difficult to process, difficult to edit, and does not lend itself to manipulation to simulate various conditions. Video tape is easy to use, requires no processing, can be replayed in the field to verify that data is correct, is easily edited with the proper equipment, and is in a format that is readily accepted by computer image processing systems. Therefore, it has become the medium of choice, and will probably remain so until it is eventually replaced by digital video recording. The present invention is a method of training using a video system.